Such is the Life of a BoyMom

This snap was from last week, but it's so stinkin cute, I had to post it.

~On Sunday, we missed church because Morgan had been running fever the night before. You can tell by his face here that he still wasn't feeling 100%. He was quite disappointed that we had to miss because he was scheduled to be baptized. We were able to add smiles back into our day with some face paint and family time. ~

Morgan - "a Ninja Army Guy", Beau - "a Dog", Blake - "a Fighter with Black Stripes"

~We also played "catch-up" on some of our Christmas activities.
We made peanut butter doggie treats for JJ.~

~She was loving this activity!~

~Later in the day, when Mo was feeling better, we went to Bass Pro Shop to see the Christmas Display. There were lots of things to do and see.
It was fun to watch them light up everytime they found something else.~

~With some inspiration from another mom, and my recent "crafting" mood, I made these jewelry boxes for my sweet nieces.
It's hard to tell from the picture, but one is purple, the other is blue.~

~Blake is always interested in helping in the kitchen. Last night I finally let him. We had blueberry pancakes and sausage for dinner. He did a great job!~

Blake had his third swim meet last Saturday. He was able to knock 3 seconds off his Freestyle and 8 seconds off his Butterfly! Here is a video of his Butterfly.

Way to go, Blakester!!!!!

Oh what fun it is....to be an elf!

Here's a little peek at what Secret Elf has been up to lately......

Acrobat...

~ Sorry for the poor quality of this picture....my camera was acting up, so I used my phone.~

~When important leaders, like kings or presidents drive through town, they are often escorted by a motorcade. Police officers on motorcycles drive ahead of a king’s limousine, to clear the road for this important person. As you watch from the roadside, it looks like a mini parade driving past.
In our stories, we are waiting for the arrival of our King of kings—a King even more powerful than Israel’s greatest king, David. This King, from David’s family, will save God’s people once and for all.
Look for the signs along the road that point to who this new King of kings could be. Search the crowded alleys of Bethlehem, David’s hometown. Stand along the Jerusalem parade route and shout, “Hosanna” to the Son of David.
Clear the way! The King is coming!~

Snow Day...

~When sin entered the world in the Garden of Eden, the path to everlasting life was blocked. Like a red stoplight, an angel blocked the way to the tree of life. God’s people, and all people in the world, wandered in the darkness of sin, with no clear direction to go.
But the prophet Isaiah wrote good news. “The people who walked in darkness have seen a great light,” Isaiah wrote. “A new light has dawned for those living in the shadow of death.”
The light does not shine from a traffic signal. The light shines from a child—a child who will guide us and lead us with peace and righteousness forever and ever.
Through the gift of God’s Son we’ve been give a “GO” signal to everlasting life once again. ~

Zip-Line....

~Think about all the toys in the stores. These would make wonderful Christmas presents for some happy children. But what about someone older, like this old man? Are those the kinds of presents he would expect at Christmastime?
Zechariah certainly wasn’t expecting the surprise he received in the temple that day. The angel Gabriel announced that Zechariah and his wife would be parents of a new baby boy! And Zechariah’s surprise child would help point to an even more unusual Christmas present.
When this baby grows up, he will deliver the good news that the Lord is coming, and in a very unexpected way.~

Ready for some after-school fun....

~ Is this the way? Is this really God’s plan?
Zechariah asked those very questions when the angel told him that he would be a new father. “How could this be, since my wife and I are so old?” he wondered.
Keep quiet Zechariah. This isn’t YOUR way of doing things. This is GOD’S way. You work in the temple. You of all people should know that God’s way is the best—and the only—way to go.
The time has come for God’s plan of salvation to be revealed. Keep quiet and watch. Soon we will all open our mouths and praise God along with Zechariah. ~

Day 9 & 10.....and Funny Friday 4

~Secret Elf is still as busy as ever. Today, I really wish I had his energy and endless ability to go-go-go! Blake was very excited to find him on Day 9. He hurried into the kitchen to tell Morgan he found him. "He's doing something kind!" Kind message maybe, but not so kind for the cleaning lady around here ;-)~

~What do you get when you mix a talking dinosaur named "Tiny," a Webkinz cat, a scout elf and a wise man? Game night of course! I guess Secret Elf needed some laughs with creatures of his own stature. Looks fun to me....maybe we will break out some board games this weekend.~

~On Thursday morning, we learned about David and one of his Psalms.
"While watching over his father’s sheep, David used the everyday tools of a shepherd. He carried a staff to gently guide the sheep to safety. A rod and a sling were used to keep threatening enemies like wolves and lions away.
In addition to these things, David also carried a harp. He wrote many songs about God while he sat in the fields. In one of these songs, David imagined God as a shepherd, carrying a staff and rod to guide and protect us just as a shepherd protects his sheep.
As we make our way to Christmas, give thanks to our Father in heaven for sending us a Good Shepherd, his Son Jesus, to guide and protect us all." ~

~Today we start looking for THE KING!
"When important leaders, like kings or presidents drive through town, they are often escorted by a motorcade. Police officers on motorcycles drive ahead of a king’s limousine, to clear the road for this important person. As you watch from the roadside, it looks like a mini parade driving past.
In our stories, we are waiting for the arrival of our King of kings—a King even more powerful than Israel’s greatest king, David. This King, from David’s family, will save God’s people once and for all.
Look for the signs along the road that point to who this new King of kings could be. Search the crowded alleys of Bethlehem, David’s hometown. Stand along the Jerusalem parade route and shout, “Hosanna” to the Son of David.
Clear the way! The King is coming!" ~



And now onto "Funny Friday". In anticipation of Christmas, the boys and I have been doing an activity a day. In the past week we have danced to Christmas music, participated in Hanging of the Green, bought and delivered a special gift to show love to someone, made Christmas cards and had a crazy, mixed-up dinner in which we all chose one item to create a hodge-podge buffett for dinner. Beau chose "peanut butter, jelly in sandwich;" Morgan chose "Maccaroni pizza;" Blake wanted "Spaghetti;" Dad chose "Grilled Cheese;" and just to try something different....I chose "Chestnuts."

The conclusion.....Chestnuts are disgusting! And Maccaroni Pizza is not GETHA! Oh well!

~This week has had fewer funny moments than most. However, there were a few that had us grinning (or grimmacing). Beau seemed to steal the spotlight this week.~

~When checking on Beau in the shower, Brad found him standing in the middle of the bathroom in all his glory, looking in the mirror, making gun motions and saying "pew, pew, pew." Brad said, "You need to get back in there and wash your hair." Beau responded "I was about to."~

~One day Brad mis-spoke when telling Beau to go get his Bunny. It came out "Beau go get your bony!" ~

~Beau has a habbit of wiping his runny nose on his sleeve or the back of his hand (So Gross!!). At the table the other night Brad said, "Where are you supposed to wipe your nose, Beau?" Beau replied, "Right here and right here." (Pointing to each nostril!)~

~And finally....Beau had his preschool Christmas program on Monday and Tuesdsay of this week. I attended Monday. Brad attended Tuesday. On Monday Beau lost his "model student" reputation. These are just two of the moments. I am quite embarrassed by his behaviour, but I guess it will be funny someday, and maybe funny to some of you now. (So sorry to any of the other parents who's camera's were filled with Beau's loud voice!)~

"Jesus Loves Me"

"Lean on Me"

Dash away, All!

~We absent-mindedly forgot to photgraph Day 7 when we found our little guy riding piggy back on the snowman of our stocking holder. This is what we spotted today...

~Beau is definitely my most mischievous elf! Just wait until you see his Preschool Christmas performance! Anyone know how to load videos onto a blog???~

~Morgan thought Secret Elf drew long hair on him because he must've heard Mo tell me last week that he did not want to get a haircut.~

~Secret Elf and I finally got a laugh from the Blakester! Ok, well, it was more of a smirk.~

~Day 7
Saddle up, everyone. It’s time to ride! God’s people were hitting the trail. They were leaving behind the harsh slavery in the country of Egypt and heading out for greener pastures in the promised land.
There was Moses in the lead: God’s faithful trail-guide bringing that herd of Israelites back home to the range.
But as the group stopped for water, Pharaoh’s riders swept down from the hills to steal them back. But Moses was not worried. He knew that God was the head honcho on this drive.
God opened up a passage through the water that Moses quickly herded the people through. And when they were safely on the other side, God wiped out the rustlers that Pharaoh had sent. Yee-hah! God’s promise to save comes true!~

~Day 8
Like a restless herd, the Israelites were wandering through the desert in hopes of reaching the promised land. They needed guidance, not just on where to go, but on how to live and act. What did it mean to follow God: to be one of God’s people”
God gave Moses a list of directions—rules of the road that God’s people could follow every day of their lives. “Follow these commandments,” Moses told them all, “and you’ll be heading in the right direction.”
You and I are God’s chosen people, too. When we obey His commands we show others that we are God’s followers. With God in the saddle, there is no better guide.~

~I have suddenly developed an urge to be crafty. I saw a picture of a fabric gift bow online....and decided to make my own! It was easy, and I had a lot of fun. I am warning you now, if you get a gift from The Pyatt's for Christmas, you can expect to receive some form of a double-sided fabric bow! Last night when I told Brad at 10pm that I wanted to make a craft, he asked if I was sick. Haha!~

~As a follow up to one of my very first posts regarding our World Missions Offering, and Blake's story about his friend who's family is from Saudi Arabia.... This was posted on our church Facebook page today..."Lotti Moon offering update: as of Weds Dec 7th, FBC Rockwall will be sending $549,770.49 to international missions! Every cent will go towards helping those overseas hear about Jesus Christ! Thank you Lord for blessing your people so richly."

Blake also spoke with Pastor Steve who reassured him that some of that offering money will be used in Saudi Arabia to reach those people with the Gospel. One of the many goals of the International Mission Board is to reach Muslims around the world and get a copy of the Word in their hands.~

That Silly Elf

Ping Pong, anyone? On Sunday we found this....


And then we read this...

God made a promise to a travelling man named Abraham. “You will have more descendants than there are stars in the sky,” God promised. God kept that promise. Abraham’s descendants were known as Israelites. They were God’s chosen people—also called “the people of the promise.” Those traveling people moved to the land of Egypt where, the Bible tells us, “they multiplied and filled the land.”
As we join this mobile family on our way to Christmas, remember the very good new that Abraham learned. God keeps a promise.
God had made another promise to Abraham as well. “Through one of your descendants, the whole world will be blessed,” God said. Let’s wait for that promise to come true.


Oh what fun this elf has had today...

Blake was appalled, Morgan was laughing and Beau was in awe.



What will he think of next?

At first, Beau thought it was rope. When I told him it was toilet paper, he asked if it was all gone. After a few more questions, I figured out he was asking if Santa had used all of our toilet paper. When I told him we still had ours, we decided that the elf must have used Santa's TP to play. He said, "that's not very nice, but it's very funny."

Today we learned about Moses and the Israelites and Pharoah.


I see an evergreen bush lit up with red light! Now we must be on the right way. But wait! It wasn’t a Christmas tree that caught Moses’ eye. It was a burning bush. God had news to share with Moses, and that bright bush was the best way to get Moses’ attention.
God’s people were slaves in Egypt. They cried out to God, praying to be saved from slavery. If they could get God’s attention, perhaps God would free them.
But god had always been watching over them, even when they were living in slavery. God did hear their cris, and God knew the time was right to free them all.
“Got to the king of Egypt,” God said to Moses from the burning bush. “Tell king Pharaoh to let my people go!” Pay attention because God is coming to save His people.


Last night was our "Hanging of the Greens" performance at church. (Children and teens) Mo and Blakester both looked so handsome! Blake sang his solo beautifully. I wish I were a better photographer....I couldn't get the lighting right, so the pics didn't turn out very well.

Time to get everyone from school and then head to the Aquatic Center!

Funny Friday 3

Funny Friday....one day late.

Blake is really enjoying comics lately. When Brad was his age he had a favorite comic series....so Blake told me he is really glad Dad let him read his "Calvin and Hobles" (pronounced Hob-Less). He has since figured out that there is no "L."

On Sunday, we were blessed to see our friend Hannah get baptized. We were invited to join their family and friends for lunch that afternoon. We had been there for about 20-30 minutes when Hannah's uncle and aunt arrived. Her uncle is a man of large stature, with balding white hair and a long, thick white beard. Beau looked up from playing with toys in the living room and said to the man, "How long have you been here?" With a puzzled look the man replied, "A while." Beau continued, "I missed you very much!" Now baffled, the man said, "Ok?" Brad quickly said, "Beau, who is that?" As you can guess, Beau answered, "Santa Claus." The man looked down at Beau and sad, "You behave," and Beau said, "Yes Sir."

Beau told me this week that when he grows up he wants to be a Firefighter and a Transformer. He then told me that when he is a teenager he will have a race car and drive from the Race Car store to his Firefighter Station and then to his Transformer Station. On the way to school he even pointed out "His" firefighter station where he will drive his race car and then he will go to the Transformer station next. How about that ambition!

We have been reading our Christmas books this week. One night we read "Mater Saves Christmas" based on the "Cars" movie. I was using special accents for each character as I read. The three boys and I had a laughing fit when in my best Mater voice I sang "Oh timing belt, oh timing belt, how lovely is yer rubber!" and "All I want for Christmas is my two front tires..."

Yesterday on the way to get the dry cleaning, JJ decided she would be my baby. She rode in Beau's car seat all the way there from Beau's preschool. Crazy girl!

Hot (Chocolate) Mess ....and Fabulous Friends

Secret Elf was a Hot (Chocolate) Mess when we woke up today. He tried to make snow angels. Two little boys ate the surrounding marshmallows and wiped their hands through the chocolatey mix and licked thier little fingers clean. GROSS!!! I knew this messy mischevous elf belonged in this family!

Day 4 was about....
"The waters of the flood receded, the doors of the ark opened, and the world was filled with new life. Noah knelt down on the ground in praise. He thanked God for providing a way through the water. Noah went straight to work planting a vineyard of grapes: proof that God’s gift of life goes on.
We, like Noah, need to be rescued. Sin is all around us, threatening to pull us down. But God sends us a life preserver. God’s Son, Jesus, pulls us from the flood of sin and carries us toward that new life.
As we ask, “Which way is Christmas?” remember that it is God who provides the way."

The last two days have been a whirlwind of fun for me. A few months ago my friend Jolene and I were happily surpised to find out that we share an infatuation with Clay Walker. Our husbands share an opposite sentiment and gladly encouraged us to go have a fun night out to see him in concert.

That's exactly what we did! We had SO much fun! Today we spent our entire day together celebrating our sweet friend's birthday. Today was "Belinda Day!" We picked her up and organized a day full of surprises that included loving gifts and gestures from many sources. We played a scavenger hunt game and she had to guess where we were going for each surprise. Thank you so much to the friends that participated and made this day extra special! We laughed for 10 hours straight! I love both of these girls and I treasure their genuine friendship.